Subject: [76attendees] Questions about cash

From: "Romascanu, Dan (Dan)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:52:12 +0200

I apologize in advance if these questions were already asked. If the
answers are already available some place please provide the link. 

- how much cash would we need (estimated) for food and current expenses?

- how common is the usage of credit cards in cabs, restaurants, fast
food places, coffee places, etc.? 
- can we buy the well discussed train tickets with credit cards? 
- is keying the PIN required when paying by credit card? 
- do ATMs have an English UI? 
- if one runs out of Japanese currency is foreign currency (USD, Euros)
accepted, and is the rate reasonable? 

Thanks and Regards,

Dan

---

From: Ole Jacobsen <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:50:07 -0700 (PDT)

> answers are already available some place please provide the link. 

See links at bottom.

> - how much cash would we need (estimated) for food and current expenses?

Depends on your habits, I'd start with the equivalent of $200 and see 
how many days that lasts you. 

> food places, coffee places, etc.? 

Very common. Most places take credit cards, including taxis, but out 
of habit I always use cash in cabs. (Journeys are typically short, if 
you want to go far, don't take a cab).

> - can we buy the well discussed train tickets with credit cards? 

Yes.

> - is keying the PIN required when paying by credit card? 

Usually not.

> - do ATMs have an English UI? 

Yes.

> accepted, and is the rate reasonable? 

Very rarely. The rate would not be too bad, if you managed to find say 
a department store that took dollars/euros, but there are plenty of 
ATMs around even if few are open 24 hours a day.

See also:

http://www.yikes.com/~ole/store/Hiroshima/Essentials.html

and

http://www.ietf76.jp/general/

---

From: Akira Kato <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:27:59 +0900 (JST)

> - how much cash would we need (estimated) for food and current expenses?

It depends what kind of food you have. There are Seven-Eleven
convenience stores within walking distance from the venue where
you may get cash with your bank card:
    http://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/index2.html

I suggest to have at least 10,000 JPY (or 10 1,000 JPY bills) cash.

> food places, coffee places, etc.? 

Unlike United States, fastfood rastaurants and coffee places do not
accept credit card. Many restraurants don't accept them in lunch
time. Some shops restrict using credit card if the total amount is
less than 3,000 JPY, for example. Cabs accept them.

> - can we buy the well discussed train tickets with credit cards? 

VISA/Master/JCB/AMEX/Diners cards are accaptable.

> - is keying the PIN required when paying by credit card? 

Yes. It is getting common in these days.

> - do ATMs have an English UI? 

Visit a Seven-Eleven convenient store, and the ATM is w/ English mode.
While ATM in a post office may accept your bank card, the opreation
is very complicated. See http://www.ietf76.jp/general/

> accepted, and is the rate reasonable? 

Foreign currency is not accepted usually.

-- Akira Kato

---

From: "Thomson, Martin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:11:07 -0500

Hi Dan,

Based on my experience, and anecdotes from others who have travelled recently, cash is very widely used.  You will need cash for most incidentals, the whole place runs on it.  Hotels and anywhere that you might make larger purchases will likely take credit card, but use cash for restaurants, cafes, cabs, public transport, and so forth.

There is info on the ietf76.jp site on post offices and 7-11 stores, which are pretty much the only places you will be able to use your card (ATMs on the street are unlikely to accept your card).

--Martin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:76attendees-
> [email-masked]] On Behalf Of Romascanu, Dan (Dan)
> Sent: Monday, 12 October 2009 9:52 PM
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: [76attendees] Questions about cash
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 76attendees mailing list
> [email-masked]
> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/76attendees

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From: Randy Bush <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:46:35 -0700

> Based on my experience, and anecdotes from others who have travelled
> recently, cash is very widely used.  You will need cash for most
> incidentals, the whole place runs on it.  Hotels and anywhere that you
> might make larger purchases will likely take credit card, but use cash
> for restaurants, cafes, cabs, public transport, and so forth.

correct.  it's a cash culture.  though more and more places take credit
cards.  but it's a safe culture and people carry what westerners would
think of as large amounts of cash.

> There is info on the ietf76.jp site on post offices and 7-11 stores,
> which are pretty much the only places you will be able to use your
> card (ATMs on the street are unlikely to accept your card).

citibank atms, which are rare, but usually at airports, take western
cards.

randy